Kurt Busch, who will start alongside pole sitter Carl Edwards in tomorrow’s Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway, led the final practice for the Cup contingent earlier this morning with a lap at 197.368 miles per hour in the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet.

Busch has had strong pace in recent weeks, but has yet to convert it into a win that can solidify him as a contender for a wild-card spot in the Chase (he’s currently 15th in the standings). Nonetheless, he senses that a breakthrough is getting closer.

“…Now we’ve just got to step into the race and that’s where we’ve got to close the deal,” he said on Friday. “We haven’t been as strong as we’ve needed to be in the last section of the race, like after the last pit stop or with two pit stops to go, that’s where we have to find a little bit more improvement. But otherwise, these Furniture Row guys are phenomenal, and we’re knocking on the door.”

Kasey Kahne, who starts third on Sunday, was second-quickest in “Happy Hour” with a lap at 197.066 mph. He was followed by Mark Martin in third (196.073), championship leader Jimmie Johnson in fourth (195.886), and Edwards in fifth (195.721).